In the gas negotiations on Friday, one man is particularly important: the Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. His clan has ruled over the World Cup host for decades. But who are these people who are investing billions in sporting events and are supposed to save Germany from an energy crisis?
A while ago, a picture went viral on Instagram in Qatar. No, it wasn’t Robert Habeck’s bow to the sheikh, but an image that contains almost everything: the splendor, the PR and all the contradictions that make Qatar, this hyper-rich mini-state on the Gulf, so special. A veiled woman in an expensive black robe can be seen using pliers to fish a plastic bag out of the grass on the beach in Doha. Of course, the explosives are hidden in the woman’s identity. Because it is Sheikha Mayassa, the sister of the Emir of Qatar, who has joined the garbage crew.
